Advantages

Disadvantages

Good quality travel bag that lasts for years!

I must start the review by saying that I would never have purchased this travel bag for myself in a million years.

Why?

Mainly because it was very expensive and secondly because as a vegetarian, I prefer not to buy leather goods.

**So why do I own this bag?**

My late mother purchased this travel bag for me as a gift. When I stayed with Mum in her apartment in Spain shortly after my father died, we took a trip into Malaga. In a large department store we visited I admired a display of flight bags and luggage.

On my next birthday, I unwrapped a present from her to find this leather bag. She must have gone back to Malaga after I had left her in Spain and purchased it.

It was a very generous gift and one that I have used regularly.

**About The Bag**

I have the travel bag in a patchwork effect of slightly differing brown leathers. I believe that the company are no longer manufacturing this particular finish and the travel bags currently available are of a uniform black or brown colour.

It is a fairly traditional style of bag, barrel shaped with two well padded carry handles and a detachable shoulder strap. The length of the bag is 52cms, the (unpacked!) width is approximately 25cms and the depth, 28cms.

The bag fastens by means of a really sturdy zipper which runs lengthwise across the top of the bag. The zipper opens the full length of the bag which I have found makes packing easier. There are 2 zip pulls which can be fastened together by means of a travel type padlock for security.

What is especially useful in my opinion, is the depth of the interior zipped pocket. It reaches right down to the base of the bag, giving a really useful storage area for travel documents and valuables.

The bag also has two exterior pockets, on mine these are not zipped, they are merely flat slots.

The actual construction of Pellevera leather goods is where their products come into their own. The bag is beautifully made, all seams are double stitched and the workmanship is second to none. The bag is lined with a water resistant fabric which makes it ideal as a sports holdall, not that I have used it for this purpose.

The leather used in the bag is top quality, Pellevera use vegetable dyes in the tanning of the hides, which seem to be very hard-wearing. The colours have not faded at all.

When I first received the bag, it had that lovely 'new leather' smell which seemed to linger for ages. The bag is very easy to clean, the interior just needs a wipe with a dampened cloth to freshen it up and the exterior can be cleaned with a leather cleaner. I must admit I have sponged mine with soapy water, probably not the best thing to do, but it is so durable, that the bag shows no ill effects from this treatment!

**My Thoughts and Conclusion**

I have been using my bag for over 4 years now and it is still in very good condition. The brass D rings which hold the straps to the bag have not tarnished in use.

I have used the bag as a travel bag, both in an aircraft hold and as a hand luggage. It has also been used regularly as a weekend bag, I can pack a huge amount in the bag and it really has been a very useful thing to own!

It looks good, it is easy to clean and although being leather, it is a little heavier than a canvas or similar fabric holdall, I have found that it is very versatile.

All in all, I consider this to be an excellent travel bag, but whether I would recommend it is a tricky one.

I can certainly recommend it as a hard wearing, stylish piece of luggage, but at the current manufacturers recommended price of almost £200, no I cannot!

In short, if you can afford it, then this piece of luggage will last you for years. I am awarding this Pellevera bag 4*.